Housing gets $280k lift
More cash to find accommodation for region’s homeless
THE region has received a further funding boost from the State Government to help the homeless into accommodation amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Barwon services will receive more than $282,520 over June and July under almost $10 million in funding announced by the Government at the weekend.
Barwon Child, Youth and Family, the Salvation Army and Colac Area Health will receive cash injections.
Housing Minister Richard Wynne said the funding would keep people experiencing homelessness in their current accommodation and plan their pathway into more stable longterm housing.
The $9.8 million package includes additional housing establishment funding for agencies to continue placing clients in temporary hotel accommodation and would also create nine data roles to work within newly created homelessness emergency accommodation response teams throughout Victoria.
Improved data collection will allow the Government to have a greater understanding of the housing and support needs of people in temporary accommodation.
The funding will also temporarily boost intake systems, with nine extra initial assessment and planning workers across the state.
The roles will co-ordinate with local services to ensure each person in a hotel has the support they need to achieve stable housing, and identify their best housing options, which could include private rentals, supported accommodation or social housing.
The funding builds on a series of recent announcements by the State Government to help ensuret people at risk of or experiencing homelessness are protected during the pandemic.
TWO Geelong teenagers are on a mission to help local people sleeping rough on the cold streets — one care package at a time.
In a bid to make a difference during tough times, year 10 Sacred Heart College students Lainey Karlich and Grace Williamson are collecting winter and sanitation items to distribute to the homeless.
“Homeless individuals are quite vulnerable to the coronavirus, and
Mr Wynne said the additional funding would ensure Victorians experiencing homelessness continued to receive the support and housing they needed to stay safe during and after coronavirus.
There were 3187 people on the social housing waitlist in the Barwon region on March are heavily affected by the approaching colder times,” Lainey said.
“It’s hard for many people in our community right now, but it’s especially hard for homeless people, so it’s vital we do what we can to support them.”
The care packages are set to include items such as toiletry bags, masks, tissues, water, sanitiser, socks, beanies and gloves.
After putting a call out on Face30, latest data shows. The Council to Homeless Persons (CHP) welcomed the funding announcement to extend temporary accommodation until the end of July for rough sleepers, but urged the State Government to also invest in long-term solutions ending homelessness. book for people to donate items, the 15-year-olds have received an “overwhelming” response with local businesses and individuals jumping on board to help.
“We initially hoped to create 10 packs, but with the great response we received we’re now thinking towards 20-30 packs,” Grace said.
“Bunnings Waurn Ponds donated trolleys full of hand sanitiser, gloves and masks, and a girl has offered to
“Right now we have an enormous opportunity to end rough sleeping in Victoria, by keeping people without a home in safe accommodation, and supporting them into long term housing,” CHP chief executive Jenny Smith said.
“But it will only be possible to avoid people leaving hotels make bags for us to put the items in.” Lainey said they hoped to give the packs to a local organisation to distribute, while also hoping to directly hand out some themselves.
The pair will collect items for another two weeks, with the aim to get the packs to those in need across the region next month.
To donate items, contact Lainey on lakarlic22@shcgeelong.catholic. edu.au and going back into homelessness at the end of July if government provides access to housing that people can afford, as well as support for people to transition to and then maintain a long-term tenancy.
“When coronavirus income payments end in a few short months, and the rent moratorium is over, there is going to be a major increase in the number of people accessing homelessness services for the first time.”
“In order to prepare for this influx in demand, we need to act now, and acquire more social housing.”